On Sunday night the Milwaukee Bucks and NBA fans everywhere got their first look at the new-look squad with perennial All-NBA and All-Star guard Damian Lillard in the fold.
Dame didn’t overwhelm, scoring 14 points, dishing out three assists and grabbing two rebounds, the renowned sharpshooter shot only 30 percent from the floor and 27 percent from three.
He will undoubtedly have better days, but working out the kinks is what the preseason is for. The hype surrounding the new dynamic duo of Lillard and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is warranted, and the two are already enjoying the benefits of playing together.
In wake of the team’s 108-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, a giddy Antetokounmpo told reporters:
“I’ll be very honest. I’ve never been this open. And first of all, I’ve never seen anybody being double-teamed from the first possession of the game.”
That sounds great, but if the Bucks want to hoist another Larry O’Brien Trophy, they’ll need former All-Star forward Khris Middleton healthy and playing at a high level. The last time Middleton was healthy the Bucks won the NBA championship.
Bucks Hoping Middleton Is Healthy To Begin Season
Middleton is still recovering from offseason surgery on his knee, and because of it he’s been limited in practice. The hope is he’ll be ready to when things get underway Oct. 26, but if not the Bucks will continue to be cautious with him.
Following a practice last week, Middleton revealed where things stood with him as of now.
“That’s the plan,” the three-time All-Star said. “Sometimes things change, but so far I’ve been on pace with everything I’ve been doing. We’ll go over the schedule again and see where I’m at, see how I feel and just keep track of things that way. I don’t want to set a hard date for when I’ll be out there because it’s all about feel and comfort.”
Middleton’s health is crucial, as he’s now the third option for the Bucks. Not many teams in the league, if any, can say they have a career 17-point, five rebound and four assists player in that role. Add center Brook Lopez to the mix and the Bucks’ Big 4 is probably the best in the league. But, again, it hinges on the health of Middleton.
Health hasn’t been on Middleton’s side the past couple of seasons. Last season, the former Texas A&M Aggies star only played in 33 games. He missed the first 20 games while recovering from wrist surgery.
He also missed 18 consecutive games while dealing with a sore knee. That was on the heels of him missing the final 10 playoff games of the 2021-22 season with a sprained MCL in his left knee.
The laundry list of injuries have to make one wonder if Middleton will ever return to his All-Star form. While that remains to be seen, the blessing is this Bucks team doesn’t need that. Just being their third-best player most nights will suffice.
NFL defenses were flying around Sunday, making game-changing plays and stymying offenses. These five units were the best this past weekend.
Cleveland Browns
Led by the very aggressive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Browns held the previously unbeaten San Francisco 49ers to 215 total yards and just 15 first downs in a 19-17 upset victory.
Not only did they hold the Niners to 17 points, which is half their average, they also harassed quarterback Brock Purdy, limiting him to just over 100 yards passing, with nearly half of those coming on the team’s final drive. The Browns have taken on the personality of the Schwartz, and it shows in their defensive effort.
Right now, they’re the best defense in the league, holding opponents to under 200 yards per game. In five games they’ve surrendered just nine total touchdowns.
Cornerback Greg Newsome took it a step further in his postgame interview.
“We say it all the time. We’re the best defense in the world, as a defense and particularly as a secondary.”
New York Jets
Each week the Jets defense proves why they’re one of the best in the league, and Sunday was no different. With an offense that was expected to have Aaron Rodgers at the helm, one can see why this team had real Super Bowl aspirations prior to his injury. In defeating the previously undefeated Eagles, they intercepted quarterback Jalen Hurts three times while harassing him all day.
In three game this season versus Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Hurts they allowed just three touchdown passes while recording eight interceptions. This defense is for real, and it’s the team’s calling card.
San Francisco 49ers
Despite Sunday’s loss, the Niners defense was still very good, minus the 130 combined rushing yards they allowed to running backs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt.
The Browns averaged nearly 4.7 yards per carry, which is something we’re just not used to seeing the Niners give up. In all, they only surrendered 4.8 yards per play and held the Browns to 3-for-13 on third-down conversions.
Expect a huge bounce-back performance against a Vikings team coming off an ugly win over the Bears but still trying to find itself.
Baltimore Ravens
Ever since their inception in 1996, defense and “Charm City” have been synonymous. This season is no different with the Ravens, who’ve been winning games with a strong defense, running game and timely plays by star QB Lamar Jackson.
Sunday in London was no different as the defense held the offensively-challenged Titans to 233 total yards. They also recorded four sacks, mostly when backup quarterback Malik Willis entered the game for injured starter Ryan Tannehill.
Kansas City Chiefs
All season K.C.’s defense has looked like the strength of the team. Led by All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones and a steadily rising secondary, K.C. has been getting it done on that side of the football.
In Thursday night’s 19-8 win over the hapless Denver Broncos, they held Sean Payton’s crew to under 200 total yards and exactly 4.0 yards per play. With an offense still trying to find itself, the Chiefs have relied on defense enroute to a league-best 5-1 record.
New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers was seen throwing the football at MetLife Stadium on Sunday ahead of the team’s win against the Philadelphia Eagles, leading many to speculate the All-Pro will be back this season. Is that possible?
Rodgers underwent a “speed bridge” procedure on Sept. 13 to repair his torn left Achilles tendon. The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
The new procedure is designed to have an athlete fully recovered in as little as four months from what is normally a season-ending injury. The speed bridge is designed to protect the repair and expedite a potential return to the field. While the speed bridge does not guarantee a quicker return, it is designed to enhance the strength of the repair and guard it against stretching.
Rodgers might also receive platelet-rich plasma injections, which accelerates the healing of ligaments and joints in the body.
There is no guarantee that any of this will put Rodgers back on the field. Even the most optimistic timeline gets him back on the field in December. That would mean the playoffs. Assuming the Jets qualify for the playoffs.
The Jets are 3-3, winners of two straight and feeling good about themselves after defeating the Eagles and QB Jalen Hurts. Their defense is very good, but they still play Zach Wilson at QB. At some point on the way to earning a spot in the playoffs, Wilson is going to have to win them a game. He hasn’t shown the ability to do that.
As for Rodgers, the man who believes he’s always the smartest person in every room, he’s likely going to try every experimental recovery aid to get him back on the field. He’s a master YouTube researcher, so I’m sure he’s already tried some things.
“There’s a lot of different ideas about the overall length of the rehab. I think what I’d like to say is, just because nobody’s ever done it in a certain way doesn’t mean it’s not possible,” Rodgers said on the “Pat McAfee Show” in September. “I definitely have some odds stacked against me based on age, but I like it. Stack all the odds up against me and see what happens. My entire focus and dedication is about acquiring the most information and adding to what I’ve already put together as a pretty damn good rehab plan that’s going to, I think, shock some people.”
All eyes will be on Rodgers every time he’s seen doing anything resembling football on the sidelines or at the team facility. If by some miracle he’s right and comes back and anywhere close to effective we will never hear the end of his “genius.”
Influencer-turned-boxing-entertainer Logan Paul and jiu-jitsu ace Dillon Danis settled their bad blood feud in the ring over the weekend. However, Danis’ biggest supporter, teammate and UFC star Conor McGregor, took the petty route after the lopsided win for Paul in Manchester, England, over the weekend during the Misfits Boxing event.
“Hey Conor McGregor, you see that? I took your b***h, put him on a leash, and took him for a walk,” Logan Paul said during the post-fight interview. “Who’s the real fighter now?”
Conor went left and continued the slut-shaming tactics employed by Danis against Paul’s fiancée Nina Agdal during the pre-fight build-up by posting something crass about her.
“Logan, me and her, what’s up,” McGregor posted briefly on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
McGregor’s advisors must have swooped in to inform him that the post was not the best look for him, given his numerous alleged sexual assault accusations. The next day he opted to post a picture of himself and Danis in the gym with some words of support.
“What a show, brother! Well done! The world is excited for what’s next! #Legend,” McGregor posted.
The statement could have been more accurate in describing Danis’ performance, as he never had an offensive plan of attack despite having more combat sports experience than Paul. Danis landed approximately two punches each round and attempted a body lock takedown and guillotine choke, both of which failed. Paul outlanded him at a nearly 20-to-1 rate.
Aside from being a former two-weight-class champion in the UFC, McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a sanctioned match that has become the second-highest-selling pay-per-view in boxing history. Even in that defeat, McGregor tried to box “Money” Mayweather.
Danis was hit with a cease-and-desist letter for his alleged online harassment of Paul’s fiancée in the lead-up to the fight.
He found a collection of questionable moments where he lined up her sexually suggestive statements to paint an unsavory image of the model. The action was Danis’ version of fight hype.
Agdal showed up to the fight with Logan Paul and was in the ring to share the glory of her fiancé’s win and vindication of her name. McGregor keeping the petty campaign going is very on brand, but another reason the event overall is more “Misfit” than boxing.
Stop if you’ve heard this before. A former NBA player whose heyday was the 1990s bemoans the current state of the game as soft. Today’s player is former New York Knicks defensive stalwart Charles Oakley. The former All-Defensive player says the game going global is a huge reason for the soft play. Isn’t this narrative getting played out now?
“I think the league made a change because they went more global, European. So when I played back in the ’80s and ’90s, you wanna talk about the glory days, you might have two percent European players, but now you got 33 percent, so the money value is global. That’s why they had to change the league, for the players who not physical. Guys like to shoot threes, so now the game is a three point game,” Oakley said on the “Tamron Hall” show.
Oakley’s entire position is lazy and disingenuous.
First, this is not the NFL or MMA. If Oakley and others want to see that kind of physicality those are the avenues to view that kind of physicality. No, players no longer get clotheslined driving to the rim or sucker punched after scoring on someone. That’s not basketball.
Today’s game is physical, it just looks different.
In Oakley’s day, all 10 players played inside the three-point arc and a large majority were in the paint and midrange pushing and shoving.
The game is played in space now. It’s easy to guard someone, when they have no room to operate. It’s much harder when you’re guarding an elite wing scorer and there is space all around. As a defender, you have to be smart, quick, strong, and be able to switch onto multiple players.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, teams could have defensive or offensive specialists. The game was played in a crowd, so your deficiencies on either end of the floor weren’t as magnified. That’s also because the average level of talent wasn’t as high then as it is in today’s game. That’s evolution.
In today’s game, a one-way player is extremely limited. Unless he is elite at that one way. Meaning he has to be among the best in the league at offense or defense. Even then, in the highest leverage games (playoffs), that weakness gets exposed. How many times in the playoffs have we seen a bad defender get targeted in pick and roll repeatedly? Or, how many times has a bad shooter been ignored so the defense can load up on the good offensive players?
Try telling Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Jrue Holiday or Marcus Smart that the game isn’t physical. To keep Oakley’s European theme going, has he ever watched Luka Doncic or Nikola Jokic play? Those players dish out a ton of physical punishment.
The NBA doesn’t look how it did when Oakley was a one-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive player and that probably bothers him, as it does to fans who like to glorify that era as “real basketball.”
Today’s game is unfamiliar to Oakley and those fans. Our nature is to reject the unfamiliar. But our inability to accept something doesn’t mean that thing is wrong, bad, or worse than what we are familiar with.
In the world of famous couples, the relationship between Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop culture superstar Taylor Swift is as hot as it gets.
The two took their canoodling on tour to the streets of New York City this weekend, where they lampooned themselves on screen and hit a few hot spots hand-in-hand to let you know it‘s real.
The 49th season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” happened late Saturday night, and host Pete Davidson and recording artist Ice Spice weren’t the only guest appearances gracing the night. Both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce made their presence known, jumping in on the funny takes about the over-reporting of their relationship.
The skit featured a mimicry of the Fox “NFL Sunday” panel with Kenan Thompson as Curt Menefee, Mikey Day as Howie Long, James Austin Johnson as Jimmy Johnson, Devon Walker as Michael Strahan, and Molly Kearney as Terry Bradshaw.
“Let’s get into the game and stop yapping about Taylor and her little boyfriend,” Thompson’s version of Menefee said.
Later, Pete Davidson appears on the field as a sideline reporter waiting to catch Taylor Swift somewhere at MetLife Stadium; as a tilt to the appearance at the Chiefs’ game against the Jets on Oct. 1, suddenly Travis Kelce appears on the sidelines. Swift appeared briefly on the show to introduce musical guest Ice Spice’s second performance.
However, the two were seen at dinner at Nobu and later at the “Saturday Night Live” afterparty earlier that evening. They were photographed heavily holding hands, and for those who felt that the relationship was more of a business-promotional situationship, the feelings now seemed ever more real.
“This isn’t just regular hand-holding,” said body language expert Inbaal Honigman to Cosmopolitan. “This is a subtle way for him to show that he’s ready to defend her, and he’s keeping her secure behind him.”
Fellow northeast Ohio sports sensation LeBron James recently gave Kelce the crown as the King of Ohio. Kelce was born just outside Cleveland in Westlake, Ohio, becoming a star at the University of Cincinnati before being drafted in the third round by the Chiefs in 2013.
“Sometimes you’ve got to give the crown up to the next one,” James said Thursday night on Amazon Prime Video after the Chiefs’ win over the Broncos. “What Travis got going on right now, and the Swifties, I’m gonna give the crown to him right now.”
The two stars are propelling each other to higher heights in pop culture, which is reflected in business.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert movie raked in nearly $96 million at the box office in the United States and Canada, the movie theater chain AMC said Sunday to the New York Post. It is now reportedly the highest-grossing concert film for an opening weekend.
It’s not bad to be “Traylor” right now, even with this bright spotlight and the world consuming everything they do together.
One of the main things the New York Jets were proud of entering the season, Aaron Rodgers’ expected presence aside, was their feisty shut-down defense.
Not only did that defense shut down a red-hot Philadelphia Eagles offense led by one of the top quarterbacks in the game on Oct. 15, but according to Jets head coach Robert Saleh, his defense “embarrassed” Jalen Hurts along with almost every other top-tier QB they’ve faced this year.
After the Jets’ upset of the Eagles, 20-14, which included picking off Hurts three times, including a clutch interception that allowed Gang Green to score the winning touchdown, Saleh used this as a chance to boast about his defense and the resilience of their team despite the losses they suffered.
“Through these first six weeks, we’ve played a gauntlet of quarterbacks. I know we haven’t gotten all wins, but we’ve embarrassed all of them,” Saleh said. “Just really, really proud of the defense and its resolve.” Saleh told reporters in the postgame news conference.
The defensive win they had Sunday afternoon was only more impressive when you realize their top two corners, Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed, did not play.
But clearly that didn’t stop that Jets defense from having a field day with the league MVP runner-up from last season.
Aside from the three interceptions that plagued an Eagles team that frankly looked like the better team on both sides of the ball (only allowing the Jets to score off of field goals until they gave up a touchdown to allow for time to score one of their own, which they ultimately didn’t), the Jets were able to drum up pressure on Hurts, pressuring him on 42 percent of his drop-backs and sacking him twice in the process.
AJ Brown recorded his fourth consecutive 125-plus-yard game, but no other Eagles player seemed to get going on offense. Running back D’Andre Swift was limited to just 10 carries for 18 rushing yards, and wide receiver Devonta Smith to just five catches for 44 yards.
But that’s just their most recent work. The New York Jets haven’t allowed a single passer to throw for over 300 yards on them this season yet.
Mind you, they have already faced signal-callers like Dak Prescott, who still had a resounding 30-10 win over the Jets, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Russell Wilson.
This defensive excellence has kept the Aaron Rodger-less Jets afloat with a 3-3 record in this highly competitive AFC East division, as well as giving the players something to fight for.
“We needed that win, and I thought all the guys kept fighting. I thought everyone was battling all across the board,” Jets QB Zach Wilson said. “No quit in this team.”
Zach Wilson couldn’t agree more, and why wouldn’t he?
A defense carrying him and giving him free wins on his personal record and helping him extend his potential playing career doesn’t hurt.
Moving forward, when the Jets are able to get their star cornerbacks into the mix again and possibly even bring four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers back, the sky is the limit for this team. All of a sudden, a grim forecast has turned into some clearing clouds of optimism for the Jets.
ESPN talking head Brian Windhorst says LeBron James kept playing high school football because of the death of R&B star Aaliyah in 2001.
“[LeBron James] was going to quit football after his sophomore year, then Aaliyah, one of his favorite singers, died in a plane crash. He decided he wasn’t going to live life scared,” Windhorst said during a segment on “NBA Today.”
Bron was an accomplished football player and had the goods to at least play Power Five college football. He was first team All-State in Ohio as a sophomore WR for St. Vincent-St. Mary’s football team.
In his junior year he caught 60 passes for 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns and was considered the No. 1 football prospect in the state of Ohio at the time.
Your first reaction might be to call cap on this story. Bron has been accused of telling tales and embellishing in the past. But this is coming from Windhorst who is a credible media member. It was also backed up by Grant Wahl’s legendary Sports Illustrated profile of Bron back in 2002.
Bron mentioned Aaliyah’s influence on him during his interview with Wahl when he made the cover of the magazine as a high schooler. He told Wahl at the time, “You’re not promised tomorrow. I had to be out on the field with my team.”
For people of a certain age, Aaliyah’s death hit different. Her first three studio albums, “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” (1994), “One in a Million” (1996), and “Aaliyah” (2001) cemented her as the “Princess of R&B” and a force to be reckoned with.
She also made her film debut in “Romeo Must Die” (2000) and filmed “Queen of the Damned” (posthumous release 2002). Aaliyah was a star and Bron would’ve been only 17 at the time and had things been different, given his burgeoning superstardom, they would’ve likely met.
She died at the age of 22 in a tragic plane crash in the Bahamas and her loss was felt by her many fans, of which Bron was likely one, around the world.
At the time of her death Bron was already the most famous high school basketball player in the world. He probably couldn’t have imagined what he is now back then. But it’s safe to say the late R&B singer’s death had an impact on him.
The Dallas Cowboys will face the Los Angeles Chargers on “Monday Night Football.” It’s the team’s first game since the Oct. 8 Sunday night 42-10 beatdown suffered at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. For the second straight week Dallas, which holds its training camp in Oxnard, California, will play a road game in the Golden State. For its fans the hope is they’ll bounce back and get back to playing the brand of football that led to a 3-1 start prior to last Sunday’s debacle.
While the Cowboys have plenty of fans everywhere, NBA superstar LeBron James is one of the team’s most famous.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has been a fan since his youth, and following last week’s loss, James is pretty much calling this game a must-win.
Recently, James took to his Instagram to discuss in detail what he meant.
“Cowboys had a tough game last week, ran into what I believe is the best team in the football. Like, I said, man they got Molly Wop-ed. I think Dallas is angry. I think Dallas is mad. I think that Dallas is pissed off about last week. And this, right here, is a game that can make or break their season early on,” James said in the 13th minute of the Instagram video.
James is making some valid points, but this isn’t a make-or-break game. Of course, James and other Cowboys fans want to see their team get back on track, but this is a long season, and just six weeks in, the magnitude of this game just isn’t that deep.
Being angry and upset won’t mean anything if they go out and play as they did last week. And the Chargers won’t care about that, because they’re looking to get a win as well.
After years of openly supporting the Cowboys, James recently declared he’s now a fan of his hometown Cleveland Browns. During a recent “Thursday Night Football” broadcast on Amazon Prime, James was asked who his NFL team is.
Speaking from “In the Shop,” James said, “I’m a Browns fan now. My hometown has been disgusting my whole life, but we have hope every year.”
In 2019, when the Rams and Cowboys faced off in the NFC playoffs, James could be seen on the Rams sideline, causing many to question where his fandom really lies.
Let’s see who he’s rolling with after Monday night’s game.
With the first six weeks of the NFL season now nearly in the books, we bring you the top melanated signal-callers following this weekend’s action.
P.J. Walker, Browns
Walker was promoted to the team’s 53-man active roster on Saturday once it was determined that star QB Deshaun Watson wouldn’t be able to go again with his shoulder injury.
All he did on Sunday was go out and lead his team to a 19-17 upset win over the San Francisco 49ers. It was the Niners first regular season loss in 16 games. The win was also the Browns’ biggest upset win since a 2010 over the New Orleans Saints.
While Walker’s numbers don’t exactly jump off the screen, going 18-for-34 for 182 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions, he did what was needed to help his team pull off the upset.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said this about his young QB.
“That kid, he’s a fighter.”
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
The standard was once again his usual self in an ugly (19-8) win over the hapless Denver Broncos. The reigning Super Bowl and NFL MVP went 30-fr-40 for 306 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also used his legs to rush for 31 yards on six attempts, picking up three first downs.
The Chiefs now head into their bye week having won five straight following their season-opening loss. And while their offense still hasn’t quite clicked the way they’d like, they’re still winning.
C.J. Stroud, Texans
The Houston Texans aren’t supposed to be this competitive or winning. Don’t tell them that, and definitely don’t tell Stroud that.
The 2023 No. 2 overall pick threw his first interception of the season, but he also guided his team to a home win over the New Orleans Saints, making the very surprising Texans 3-3.
Stroud’s numbers were nothing like they’ve been thus far this season — 13 of 27 for 199 yards, two touchdowns and one interception — but it was his mental play that stood out the most.
Following the win Stroud told reporters this:
“It’s a blessing to be in a city like Houston and get a good win.”
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Nothing Jackson or the Ravens did in their win over the Tennessee Titans in London was eye-popping, but in the end they got a win to get to 4-2. In the game Jackson was pretty efficient, going a respectable 21 of 30 for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the win.
The dynamic dual threat also put his legs to good use, rushing for 62 yards on 13 attempts.
Tyrod Taylor, Giants
Filling in for the injured Daniel Jones, Taylor nearly led an upset of the Buffalo Bills, losing 14-9. But, it wasn’t for lack of effort as Taylor went 24-for-35 for 200 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also kept the Giants within winning distance until the game’s final play with his arm and legs. It was an excellent display by the journeyman, considering coming into the game not many gave the Giants a chance.
Taylor’s professional and heady play proves why he’s still a coveted backup in the league.
The Colorado Buffaloes are still trying to figure out how they blew a 29-0 halftime lead in losing to the Stanford Cardinal 46-43 in double overtime.
There were mental errors, penalties and in many cases just a complete lack of effort that led to the Buffaloes losing a game they were in complete control of for 37 minutes. As the dust settled over Boulder amidst the scenic Rocky Mountains, the Buffaloes had gone from a promising 4-2 to now 4-3.
Still two games from being bowl-eligible, a dejected and downtrodden Deion Sanders took to the podium for his postgame press conference to in many words question his team’s want-to and love of the game.
A normally excitable Sanders, seemingly still in shock after the loss, was somewhat at a loss for words on what took place. But he did have some words for his team.
Sanders Says It’s Decision Time
In his postgame presser, Sanders was pretty blunt with his remarks:
“They got to make up in their mind are they in love with this game or are they like with it? Without a shadow of a doubt I am truly 100 percent in love with this thing. And I just want people to match me. Just match my passion, match my heart, match my love, match my consistency, just match my mannerisms, just match every darn thing I give to this game. I love this. Sadly, I love it so much, but the game don’t even occupy the ability to love you back. That’s a strange love, isn’t it.”
To hear Sanders question his team’s passion or desire is nothing new. He did it when spring practice began. He even mentioned how most of last year’s team didn’t even love football, except the very few players he decided to keep.
Despite leading 29-0 at halftime, Sanders says he preached to the team that it was 0-0 starting the second half. The Pro Football Hall of Famer says he did so in an effort to guard against complacency and letting up. That obviously didn’t work, as the team was outscored 46-14 after the half, including the two overtimes.
That’s enough to make a coach question if his guys truly do love the game. No matter what the verdict might be, the things that Sanders said in his presser should resonate heavily as the team prepares to travel to Pasadena to face the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl.
Friday’s loss added some unwanted pressure for the Buffaloes the rest of the way. With other road games against Utah and Arizona, plus home games versus Washington State and Oregon State, the Buffs play four ranked opponents in their final five weeks of the season.
Antonio Brown is back in the news for the wrong reasons, as one of his children’s mothers claims he still has not paid her almost $31,000 in child support. Wiltrice Jackson, mother to Brown’s daughter, Antanyiah, wants Brown punished for his lack of consistent support both financially and in person for their daughter, born in 2008.
The former NFL star was reportedly arrested over the weekend in Broward County for allegedly failing to pay child support to the mother of one of his children, Local 10 News learned Monday.
“Jail records from the Broward Sheriff’s Office show that the 35-year-old was booked into jail around midnight Sunday on an out-of-county warrant.”
Brown was reportedly released on a $15,000 bond.
“Right now as of today, he owes $30,940.41,” Jackson said to TMZ this week. “Now he calls himself what, a rapper now? So he goes to different cities, makes appearances and everything, also down here in Miami, he makes appearances in clubs and everything. He just got him a ‘vert (Convertible). He basically just does what he wants to do with his money. At the end of the day it is his money but I mean I still have his kid so I just don’t get it.”
Back in August, a judge ruled that he missed child support payments. Per Jackson and the court records, there has been no change since the order was issued.
“I do want him arrested,” she continued. “Because, right now, he’s making a mockery out of the judge, out of everything, because he feels like he’s untouchable. The stuff that he writes me and my daughter is completely off of the line. He talks to us like we’re strangers on the street or something.”
Her wish was granted, however, briefly.
Jackson describes her daughter as emotionally affected by not only Brown’s financial support inconsistency but also the way he has treated her, even in relation to his other children.
“And she’s not an in-house child that he sees every day or deals with,” Jackson continued. “Tony goes months without dealing with my daughter, and that’s when I have to force him to deal with her. This is your only daughter. I was a daddy’s girl. My relationship with my daddy was never like this, so I’m just trying to be strong for my daughter and I know it’s affecting her and bothering her.
“My daughter, she’s very quiet, she keeps a lot of stuff to herself, but I know when my daughter is being bothered and it’s affected her a lot. You keep going to court every six months, like, repeatedly for years, it doesn’t stop with Antonio. She brings a lot to my attention like when he does other stuff with his kids and she’s not involved, you know, its bothering her so she’s like why when I’m over there we don’t do this stuff.”
Apparently, Antanyiah is a budding track and field star, which Jackson feels adds to her confusion as to why Brown’s actions seem like he doesn’t want a relationship with their daughter.
“My daughter is 15, and as of right now 89 colleges done reached out to my daughter,” Jackson continued. “University of Miami, LSU, Oregon. By him having a daughter like an athlete like her, you would think he’d be in her corner to support her; he don’t. I just want to get down to the root of it like are you jealous of her? What’s the problem she’s your only daughter.”
The façade of “Business Is Boomin'” is a great marketing tool for AB, but in reality he is going through the same litany of work-life balance problems everybody else is, and his daughter might be a casualty of his career.
James Harden is still a player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Still, there can be no relationship repair regarding the organization’s “front office,” aka Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey. The disgruntled star made his first public comments on Friday since rejoining the team for practice.
“No” was the prevailing word for Harden when asked if his relationship with Morey was salvageable. “This is not even about this situation; this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple.”
Morey and Harden created a career-defining moment together 11 years ago when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey brought Harden to Texas in a blockbuster trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden arguably had one of the best runs of his career with the Rockets, where he spent most of his NBA career, before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021.
Once Harden moved from the Nets to the Sixers in a trade for Ben Simmons in February 2022, he believed his path to a Sixers legacy career lay in front of him. However, after the team lost 4-3 to the Boston Celtics during this year’s Eastern Conference semifinals, Harden says the relationship soured.
“Me and the front office [Morey] had a very, very good relationship for a decade,” Harden continued. “There was constant communication, you know what I mean? There was no communication once we lost.”
Per multiple reports, Harden was unhappy with Morey because no long-term, max contract offer was waiting for him during the offseason. That made the lack of communication a signal to Harden of what he deemed a goal unfulfilled.
“When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer,” Harden continued. “I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans.”
Per an August report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sixers were no longer interested in trading Harden, which made the player “unhappy.” When asked whether he would like to be traded, Harden said, “You’ve got to talk to the front office about that.”
Upon Harden’s request, initially, the Sixers agreed to seek a trade after he decided to pick up his $35.6 million player option in June. The Sixers did have sporadic conversations with the Clippers. However, the Sixers’ asking price was reportedly high, and no teams could make the deal.
For now, Harden is showing up to practice ready to work, and with free agency looming, he might put his issues with Morey to the side to focus on bolstering his trade potential. Showing up to practice and engaging with the media again with a more politically correct approach to his frustrations is an excellent start after a contentious off-season of anger.
In what is being dubbed the college football game of the year, the No. 7 Washington Huskies edged the No. 8 Oregon Ducks 36-33 when the Ducks kicker missed a 43-yard field goal as time expired. The epic win for a Huskies program searching for that marquee win to further prove that they’re back was followed by field storming by over 70,000 Huskies fans.
Trailing 33-29 late in the fourth quarter following a fourth-down stop by the Ducks, all Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. could do was hope for another chance. With just over two minutes left in the game, Penix got his chance, and the lefty gunslinger didn’t disappoint. Penix put together a two-play 53-yard scoring drive, which was capped by an 18-yard strike to star wideout Rome Odunze.
Penix didn’t blink, and for it he and his Huskies were rewarded with a huge home win to keep them undefeated.
Entering Saturday, Penix Jr. was first in passing yards and second in touchdown passes. He added over 300 yards passing and four more touchdowns to his total. The final paydirt pass to Odunze was the type of moment Penix needed to add to his résumé as the Heisman favorite. Following the game, Penix described the big play to reporters.
“My guy versus their guy — I’m going to take my guy every time,” Penix said. “Rome shows each and every day why he’s the top receiver in the nation. He knew that I was going to trust him, and I gave him that fade route, and we made it happen. That’s stuff we do all the time in practice. Every game, y’all see it.”
Penix to Odunze has become the best QB-to-WR passing attack in the nation. In fact, the Huskies have the best receiver room in the country.
Coming into the weekend Penix was the favorite, and his play, with that of reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams (197 passing yards and three interceptions) in a blowout road loss to Notre Dame, did nothing to dispel that notion.
Now Penix just needs to finish strong and he’ll become the first Washington Huskies player to hoist the coveted trophy. Wouldn’t that be something for Penix to win the award at the school of Pro Football Hall of Famer and arguably the great black QB ever, Warren Moon.
Even more amazing is Penix’s story of overcoming devastating injuries to lead the Huskies to a possible Pac-12 championship and CFP berth.
For the first 30 minutes of Friday night’s Colorado and Stanford game, the Buffaloes seemingly could do no wrong. In fact, it looked as if the game would end in a rout with Colorado leading 29-0 at halftime. But that’s why you play two halves, and in second stanza, as the Buffs struggled to find their rhythm, the Cardinal mounted an epic comeback, winning 46-43 in double overtime.
The ending to the game stunned everyone in Boulder, and it was all you heard on pregame shows leading up to Saturday’s loaded slate. Well, there was another tidbit from that epic game that gained some real traction, and it involves star quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The strong-armed junior passed for 400 yards and five touchdowns in the tough double-overtime loss, but while it was his costly interception in the second overtime that sealed the Buffs fate, it was also what he did at halftime that’s drawn the ire of college football pundits, analysts and fans everywhere.
During halftime, an ad for Sanders who has the highest NIL valuation of all CFB players at ($3.5 million) ran promoting his merchandise via his Instagram account, which has 1.7 million followers. The post cued viewers to click the link, saying …
“Shop Now.”
The link was for a sweatshirt which happened to be priced at $100.
While it’s unknown if Shedeur posted the link himself, the timing of it definitely comes at a time his team blew a 29-point lead in losing to a team they were favored to beat pretty handily.
Again, no one knows if Sanders himself actually posted the link and merchandise, but let’s just say he did. That’s exactly the type of stuff NFL legend and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady told him to eliminate and guard against.
Last month during an episode of ESPN’s “Let’s Go” podcast with Tom Brady, Deion Sanders asked the legend if he thought a college kid needed a Phantom Rolls Royce. Brady’s response while seemingly joking, also had some real intent behind it.
“I think he needs to get his ass in the film room and spend as much time in there as possible. Less time in the car, and more time in the film room.”
Deion agreed with Brady, and again we don’t know if Shedeur posted his personal merchandising on Friday night. But, if he did, this is exactly what Brady was hinting at.
More time in the lab and less time “Shedeuring” and being flashy.
The combat sports spectacle between Logan Paul and Dillon Danis is over, with Paul winning by Danis’s disqualification. The event, which took place in Manchester, U.K., was the culmination of a bitter feud between the social media entrepreneur and the jiu-jitsu ace turned combat sports bad guy.
However, all it did was cement that non-boxers competing in boxing is a bad idea, especially when packaging a lame-duck fight for pay-per-view.
The exhibition bout, scheduled for six three-minute rounds, was the co-main event of Misfits Boxing: The PRIME Card at AO Arena. Although Danis is not a boxer and his claim to fame is being Conor McGregor’s jiu-jitsu/coach, the slut-shaming online warfare he created around Paul’s fianceé, Nina Agdal, brought the fight to many people’s attention.
The slander was Danis’s attempt at fight hype sans an actual boxing pedigree, and many even believed he wouldn’t show up as he has been touch and go with his still early mixed martial arts career (2-0). However, the fight happened, and what occurred was the most predictable thing ever: Paul fought like an amateur, and Danis proved he couldn’t box at all, opting for a submission move … in a boxing match.
Ultimately, Danis even failed at that.
In Round 5, Danis attempted a poor man’s rope-a-dope, placing himself in a corner, while Paul teed off hard punches. Danis’s retaliatory swings found nowhere to land, and in his frustration, he shot for a takedown that Paul stuffed. Later, Danis attempted yet another takedown but was stopped, and while on the ground, Paul threw a punch. When Danis got to his feet, he rushed a retreating Paul, whose security team flanked him and kept Danis off of him as they ran into the ring.
Chaos ensued, with the two crews pushing and pulling and Logan’s brother, Jake Paul, in the ring for no reason other than a momentary clout chase.
The event was on pay-per-view, and for viewers underwhelmed after spending money on the lackluster Canelo vs. Charlo fight a few weeks earlier, this bout did nothing to rebuild confidence in the sport.
Jake Paul’s fight against former UFC title challenger Nate Diaz in August delivered the same bad blood sales point for viewers and saw Diaz use more bravado than fists in reality. There was a time when the Paul brothers were said to be the saviors of a sport that couldn’t gain traction with younger viewers.
Now they are rewriting the rules for that same audience that the business of boxing is not about skill or entertainment, just shenanigans, earning the labeling of misfits for a sport that deserves better than a somewhat combative spectacle.
The Dallas Cowboys offense hasn’t been as good this season as it was in 2022. Part of the problem is wide receiver play, which hasn’t been up to snuff thus far this season. In fact, the Cowboys offense has struggles at the wide receiver position have been glaring since the team decided to move on from former top pass-catcher Amari Cooper prior to the 2022 season.
According to former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, this season’s struggles stem from, in his opinion, the team not having a true No. 1 receiver. Sherman, now a co-host on FS1’s ‘Undisputed’ was asked if he believed Lamb, the former Oklahoma star, was overrated.
In typical Sherman fashion, he didn’t hold back in his response.
“If you think he’s a bona fide, lining up out there at 1, then, yeah, he’s overrated.”
Show host Skip Bayless, an ardent Cowboys and Oklahoma fan, didn’t agree with Sherman’s sentiment, calling Lamb a definite No. 1 receiver.
Bayless’ response forced Sherman to take it a little further in his response.
“So you’re saying he’s in a conversation with Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Ja’Marr Chase, Stefan Diggs, A.J. Brown, Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin and Mike Evans? You’re saying he’s in that conversation? Then you’re not watching it,” Sherman said.
“The conversation he’s in is with guys like Jaylen Waddle, like Garrett Wilson, Tyler Lockett, Tee Higgins,” Sherman said of Lamb.
In Sherman’s opinion, Lamb would benefit from being a team’s No. 2 receiver, because he’s flourished there.
Sherman alluded to Lamb missing the aforementioned Cooper taking pressure off of him when they were teammates. The very opinionated Sherman also stopped short of calling the Cowboys stupid for not keeping Cooper.
“If you had Amari Cooper, what would this team look like? They’d look really good,” Sherman said. “Lamb would have 1,500 yards per season, and Amari would have 1,500 yards, because you can’t focus on either of them.
Lamb has shown to be a pretty good receiver, being named to the Pro Bowl roster in 2021 and 2022. He was also named a second-team All-Pro last season. That in itself reeks of No. 1 receiver attributes, along with 287 receptions for over 3,754 yards and 21 touchdowns in just over three seasons.
CeeDee Lamb is a No. 1, and even though Sherman doesn’t believe so, his numbers say otherwise.
A couple of weeks ago Cleveland Browns star tight end David Njoku was burned as he attempted to light the fire pit in his backyard. The unfortunate accident left the hulking hybrid pass catcher with burns to his face and arm. Although the incident happened on a Friday, it didn’t deter Njoku from playing in that weekend’s game.
Not only did Njoku play in the team’s 28-3 loss to the Ravens, he also led the team with six receptions for 46 yards. Even more amazing is how Njoku who showed up to the stadium with a mask on, was able to put on a helmet and play. When you see the extent of the burns it makes you wonder how did he do it. Since the Sept. 29 incident, Njoku has been pretty tight-lipped on what happened, or at least until Friday when he opened up on what he’s been dealing with since then.
Njoku Says He Feels Great In Spite Of The Burns
During his media session, Njoku tolls reporters this when asked how he feels.
“Never felt better.”
“First and foremost I give all the glory to God you know? When it happened my eyes were open, so I saw everything. I really should have been blinded. So luckily, I’m not. So I give all the glory to God.”
Njoku, unfortunately followed in the footsteps of a former NFL player. On July 4, 2015, current free agent defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul blew off a couple of his fingers while lighting fireworks. The good news is Njoku is back playing, just as Pierre-Paul returned and even helped the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl.
Njoku Using Incident To Raise Money For ABA
In wake of his being burned, Njoku wanted to help other burn victims. Now that he’s revealed his burns to the public, which helps other burn victims who may not be comfortable with doing so, Njoku is also raising money for American Burns Association. The former Miami Hurricanes star is reportedly selling T-shirts of himsel wearing the mask as he arrived to the stadium just two days after being burned. He told reporters this about that venture.
“I’ve been getting a lot of messages from other burns victims and nurses that have burn victims, and they were telling me how everybody feels embarrassed to show whatever. So I wanted to come forth and show myself so everyone feels a little better about themselves. End of the day, things heal.”
Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul has been on a media tour of late, as he’s promoting his new book “Lucky Me: A Memoir of Changing the Odds.” Paul has become one of the most powerful agents in sports, negotiating more than $4 billion in deals for his clients. But had it not been for a chance meeting with LeBron James in 2001, this version of Paul would’ve never come to be. Luck plays more of a role in success than we like to believe.
The story is now legendary. Back in 2001 at the Akron-Canton Airport Paul was wearing a Warren Moon Houston Oilers throwback jersey, which caught the eye of Bron. The basketball phenom was still in high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary, but the two started a forming a friendship from that point.
Let’s just stop there for a moment. What if Paul was wearing a Joe Montana Kansas City Chiefs throwback jersey or any other jersey that didn’t catch Bron’s eye? It’s luck.
What if instead of meeting Bron, he met Lenny Cooke or some other high school basketball phenom seemingly destined for greatness?
“As we got to talking about sports, we started evolving and even talking more and more just about life, and about our upbringing, about our moms, and our communities and stuff of that nature. And it just kinda struck. It just struck a chord,” Bron said to “60 Minutes” in the profile on Paul.
Fast-forward to 2003 and Bron is the No. 1 draft pick in the NBA, heralded as “The King” and on his way to global superstardom. He hires Paul as his right-hand man.
Of course Paul had to build and earn Bron’s trust over those two years, which he obviously did. No doubt the two became genuine friends. That’s a credit to the facility of the human spirit. But there is no opportunity to build that relationship had they not met by chance in 2001.
If Bron and Paul met a year later, the rise of Paul likely doesn’t happen. If they met in 2003 it almost assuredly doesn’t happen.
Now, what Paul is able to do once he’s hired as Bron’s right-hand man is a testament to being fully ready to take full advantage of an opportunity.
Bron was originally represented by Aaron and Eric Goodwin through 2005. Paul had the opportunity to be in the various meetings where the Goodwins negotiated deals on Bron’s behalf. He soaked up all the knowledge like a sponge.
When Bron left the Goodwins in 2005 to join Leon Rose and the behemoth Creative Artists Agency, Paul again learned at the feet of the best in the business. He took everything he learned in those years and started Klutch in 2012.
Paul and Bron were widely mocked and not taken seriously when they left CAA. But most of the reaction was rooted in fear and jealousy.
“I didn’t look like the success in our industry, especially from a place of decision-making,” Paul said. “And I wanted to disrupt the industry. I wanted to be impactful, but I wanted to come from a place of purpose.”
Paul didn’t take the traditional path and is not a white male in an industry where they dominate. He was also taken aback when the few Black agents in the business didn’t offer a helping hand.
“No black agents came to me and said, ‘Let me help you, let me show you, let me help you understand.’ What they did was they went into families & talked bad about me, ‘Oh, he’s just a kid, he’s just LeBron’s friend.’ I didn’t expect that.”
In the cutthroat world of sports agents, Paul should not have expected a helping hand from anyone. White or Black. In the “60 Minutes” interview Paul made it clear that he learned early in life from his time rolling dice and being a hustler on the streets of Cleveland.
“This was my Harvard, my Michigan. [It] was my Morehouse,” Paul said. “And the same things I learned on this corner, I take it to the boardroom. Because the one thing this teaches you that I don’t think you can learn from those institutions is people, characters. And on these streets, it’s no better way to learn character because they’re coming with everything.”
So was it naiveté on the part of Paul? Did he really think the Goodwins who used to be Bron’s agents, or any of the other Black agents would help him to potentially one day steal their clients?
The game is a hustle and there are people you respect, but there are really no true friends in that world. Still, Paul persevered.
He managed to build a a roster of impressive clients through his hustle and the lessons he learned at CAA and from the Goodwin’s.
Klutch Sports Group is now ranked in the top 10 of the world’s most powerful agencies according to Forbes. The agency has branched out into repping NFL athletes, and WNBA athletes as well.
Paul has cemented his place as one of the preeminent sports agents in the world and that is to be respected and commended. He used his intelligence, hard work and dedication to get there. But none of that would’ve mattered if he had never met Bron on that fateful day in 2001 at the Akron-Canton Airport.
Ex- NFL player Sergio Brown has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his mother, Myrtle Brown. While he was on a plane being extradited from Mexico to the United States last Sunday, Sergio fought with Mexican police and continued his unhinged rants about kidnapping.
“They’re kidnapping me again … I’m from Chicago,” Brown said before pushing one of the officers. “I should not be going to Tijuana. Let me go. This is kidnapping.”
According to eyewitnesses on the scene, it took 90 minutes for the Mexican officers to get Sergio off the plane. A doctor allegedly tried to help calm him down by offering him a glass of water.
“It was crazy just to hear him start yelling that he was being kidnapped, that these men were kidnapping him,” Michelle Williams, a passenger on the plane, told CBS8. “And I’m just thinking, ‘What is going on?'”
Brown was deported from Mexico on Tuesday, Oct. 10, and was taken into custody near San Diego on the arrest warrant from Illinois. He is currently in a downtown San Diego jail being held without bond and waived his right for an extradition hearing.
When Sergio’s mother’s body was discovered and ruled a homicide in September, local authorities in Illinois were looking for the former NFL defensive back. A burner Instagram account belonging to Sergio had videos of him in Mexico ranting about his mother’s death, saying she was on vacation and that he had been previously kidnapped.
“It had to be the FBI or the Maywood police,” Sergio said in one of the videos. “I thought my f–kin’ momma was on vacation. They kidnapped me twice from home. The Maywood Police Department.”
“Fake news. Fake news. Fake news,” he said in another video in which he tagged ESPN. “It has to be the FBI that came into my house on Bob Marley’s death day with the 511 haze and gas unwarranted. They kidnapped me twice from home – the Maywood Police Department. It had to be the FBI or the Maywood police.”
It is unclear if Sergio has legal representation at this point. No doubt whomever does represent him, they will likely consider his mental competency to stand trial. All of this behavior is strange, to say the least.
